Cook said it will proceed as originally planned with the Cork facility, for which it has recently received approval for expansion, creating another 1,000 jobs over the next 18 months.

He strongly rejected the EU Commission’s findings that Apple paid just 0.005% tax in Ireland two years ago, calling it “political crap.” Cook described the ruling as “maddening and disappointing”, adding that he has no idea where the numbers came from, and that Apple has paid $400 million tax in Ireland “based on the statutory rate of 12.5%.”

It’s clear that this comes from a political place and has no basis in fact or law. Unfortunately it’s one of those things we have to work through. When you’re accused of doing something that is so foreign to your values, it brings out an outrage in you and that’s how we feel. Apple has always been about doing the right thing, never the easy thing.